Electrician&#39;s tool



Aug. 13, 1940. R, 3,, TAYS 2,211,528-

ELECTRICIAN S TOOL Filed Jan. 19, 1938 [nuenlor fiat/Zara" VZky By 2mm W n/man.

Patented Aug. 13, 1940 1 1-oN1TEo STATES.

ELECTRIGIAIISFSUTOOLT if; Richard v. Tays, Coral (rabies, Fla.

7 Application January 19, 1938, serial no. 185,779

' "Thisinvention relates to tools particularly designed for-use by electricians and an object of the invention is to provide a tool so constructed that the same may be used both as a tape puller and also as a tape straightener.

is well-known electricians have resort to what is known as a fish tape pu1ler,.that is a tool particularly-useful for pulling a steel fishtape and electric wires. connected thereto, through an electric' conduit. In accordance with the present invention my improved tape puller may also be used in an efficient manner for straightening the tape, it'being understood that the "tape has a tendency to coil. With my tool the coiled tape can be quickly and easily straightened.

--The invention-together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 ma side elevational view of the tool showing th same in a position for use as a p l er, I

Figure2 is*afragmentary edge elevational view of the tool, and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the tool showing the parts thereof in position when the tool is being used as a straightener.

Figure 4 is a reverse View of the structure shown in Figure 3, but with the handles at approximate 1y right angles to each other.

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals it will be seen that in the preferred embodiment thereof the tool comprises a pair of handles 5, 6 having Working ends 1 and 8 respectively.

The working end 1 of the handle 5 comprises a shank portion merging into a substantially circular head 9 and an integral guard member I disposed in spaced parallelism with the said shank and terminating short of the head 9 of the shank as shown in Figure 2 so as to accommodate between the shank and the guard l0 the tape ll. Between the shank and guard 10 the end 1 is provided with a gripping jaw or formation l2 which is rounded off at one end thereof as at I3 to form acurved straightening surface as and for a purpose which will presently present itself.

The working end 8 of handle 6 extends from the handle at the longitudinal center thereof, as shown in Figure 2, and presents an enlarged camlike working jaw l4 pivoted to the head 9 as at l and having its free end working between the shank and guard l0 of handle 5 so as to cooperate with the jaw I2 of the end I for clamping 3 Claims. (o1; re-1) the tape |1l .therebetween as shown in Figure 1 when the tool is :to. be used for pulling the tape through a conduit, andhalso for cooperation with the curved: straightening surface [3 when the handles arein' thelangular position shown in 5; Figure 3, and in which case the tool is being used for straightening the tape.

;Referring.t0 the several figures,'and particularlyito Figure ,4, it will .be noticed that, while the camelike member i4 is pivoted at'l5, the outer edge .thereof. is not concentric with the pin [5. The point Hi, which is the gripping part (Figure 1) is-most. distant from the pivot I5; while part 18 is much nearer the pivot I5, 'andleaves a space-'betweenthis part and the end of the guard Ill, to formyan entrance or gateway for the tape. When the parts are. in the position shown in Figure l ;,t he, guard 10 extends over the cam point 1.6 of the cam-like member l4, thusenclosing the fish, tape so hat it: can not pass out of the tool. 29 They same is true when the parts are in the positioni'shownin Figure 3, which is the straight-. ening, position here again, the guard l0 extends over the tape H, .and so prevents the escape of the tape while being straightened. But when the handles are in some intermediate position, as shown in Figure 4, the part 88 of the cam-like member it leaves an opening or gateway between the same and the end of the guard I0; therefore,

when the parts are in this position, the fish tape 30 may be either introduced into or removed from the implement at will. Thus, the fish tape is fully guarded against displacement, both when being pulled, as in Figure l, and when being straightened, as in Figure 3; but when the handles are brought to the position shown in Figure 4, the tape can be at once introduced or withdrawn from engagement in the tool at the will of the operator.

By providing the rounded curved straightening surface 53 for the jaw l2 the handles 5 and 6 are permitted to be moved into, acute angular relation as shown inFigure 3 to the end that the handles may be grasped by one hand as the tape is being held by the other during the straightening operation.

In using the tool for straightening the tape the tool is engaged with the tape as shown in Figure 3, and the tape pulled through the tool between the part N3 of the cam-like working jaw l4 and the straightening surface l3 of the gripping jaw I2, thus causing the tape to straighten out.

Also by permitting the handles to move to such close position relative to one another as suggested in Figure 3 the tool may be readily carried 55 in the pocket by the user and in this connection may be so placed Within a side pocket of the trousers or overalls as to let one of the handles extend into the pocket and the other handle extend outwardly of the pocket permitting the user to readily engage the tool and withdraw the same from the pocket.

In using the implement as a straightener, as shown in Figure 3, the fish tape is inserted so that the curved edge I3 cooperates with one side thereof and the top part I8 of the cam-like jaw 4 with the other side thereof. At the same time the tape is necessarily positioned behind the guard H), as shown particularly in Figure 3, so that it can not slip out of position while being straightened. By drawing the tape through the tool, or by moving the tool over the tape, the curl will be taken out, and the tape straightened. The effect of the tool on the tape can be varied by varying the pressure on the handles. The closer the handles are pressed together, the greater the effect on the tape, and vice versa.

Thus the part l8 of the cam-like member l4 really has two functions; first, it serves to form an opening or gateway behind the guard I0; and, second, it constitutes one of the two elements used to straighten the tape.

It is thought that a clear understanding of the construction, utility and advantages of a tool of this character which has been designed to meet the needs of the trade, will be had without a further description thereof.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. A tool of the character described comprising a pair of handle members, one of said members at one end being bifurcated so as to form parallel elements of unequal length with a gripping jaw and a curved straightening surface between them, the longer of the two elements being provided with a pivotal connection, and the shorter of the two elements extending beyond the gripping jaw and the straightening surface, and the other of the said handle members being pivotally connected with the first mentioned handle member and having a cam-like end, one part thereof being adapted to cooperate with the gripping jaw of the first mentioned handle member when the parts are in tape pulling position, and another part thereof being adapted to cooperate with the straightening surface of the first mentioned handle member when the parts are in tape straightening position.

2. A tool for straightening fish tapes comprising a pair of handle members, one of said members at one end being bifurcated so as to form parallel elements of unequal length with a. curved straightening surface between them, the longer of the parallel elements being provided with a pivotal connection, and the shorter of the two elements extending beyond the straightening surface to protect the fish tape, and the other of said handle members being pivotally connected to the first mentioned handle member and having a cam-like surface for cooperation with the straightening surface of the first mentioned handle member, the straightening surface being adapted to engage one side of the fish tape and the cam-like surface being adapted to engage the opposite side of the fish tape, the points of engagement being spaced apart longitudinally of the tape.

3. A tool of the character described comprising a pair of handle members, one of said members being provided with a gripping surface and a curved straightening surface and the other member having a cooperating gripping surface and a cooperating cam-like surface, and means for so pivotally connecting the two members that they may be brought into approximate alinement to grip the tape, and into close angular relation to permit the straightening surface and the camlike surface to cooperate to straighten the tape as the tape and tool are moved relatively to each other.

RICHARD V. TAYS. 

